Review by Booklist Review
In this series starter, eight-year-old Eugene McGillicudy, aka self-proclaimed Captain Awesome, is new to town, and he is determined to keep everyone safe from Baron Von Booger and Dr. Spinach and to protect his secret lair from nemesis Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby (i.e., his toddler sister). But school is off to a rocky start teacher Ms. Beasley is potentially a mind reader (how does she know his name?), and he is targeted by mean girl Meredith. On the upside, he meets a possible new sidekick named Turbo, the class hamster, and Charlie, a fellow superhero fan. But when Turbo vanishes, it's up to Captain Awesome and Charlie to find him. The peppy narrative has a comic book-like melodramatic, hyperbolic flair, which conveys both Eugene's reality (including fitting in and finding friends) and his humorous view of the world. Large, wide-spaced text, short chapters, and interspersed simple black-and-white cartoonish drawings are new-reader friendly, though occasional invented words add zing but can be unwieldy (gigantist, enormondoist). Overall, this is a fun, accessible read for comics buffs and aspiring superheroes of the everyday kind.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The all-too-perfectly named Kirby (alluding to comic book giants Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) kicks off an early chapter book series that introduces eight-year-old Eugene McGillicudy, who views life through the lens of comics and believes himself to be a superhero: Captain Awesome. "That's one of the cool things about being a superhero," Eugene says. "You get to pick your own name." Dressed in his superhero finest (a hoodie, a pair of shorts outside his pants, and a towel cape), Captain Awesome sees villains everywhere: his baby sister is Queen Stinkypants; his teacher Ms. Beasley becomes Miss Beastly; and class meanie Meredith is dubbed Little Miss Stinky Pinky. O'Connor (Kapow!) opens each chapter with crayoned cartoons "drawn" by Eugene that, along with more polished spot art-complete with sound effects like "Bonk!" "Pow!" and "MI-TEE!" (Captain Awesome's superhero rally call)-bring Eugene's imagined feats of daring to life, as he investigates the disappearance of class pet Turbo the hamster. Action, comedy, and hyperbole should easily hook readers, especially those who share Eugene's love of comics. Simultaneously available: Captain Awesome vs. Nacho Cheese Man. Ages 5-7. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Eight-year-old Eugene's family has just moved, and he can't imagine anything worse than being the new kid in school. Fortunately for his new town, he moonlights as Captain Awesome, ready to protect Sunnyview from bad guys, homework, and his baby sister (Queen Stinkypants). School turns out to be better than expected, thanks to a superhero-loving new friend, a class pet, and a not-half-bad teacher. The real fun begins when the classroom hamster goes missing, and Captain Awesome comes to the rescue. Rambunctious antics and lively cartoon illustrations abound. The art is as vivacious and entertaining as the protagonist himself. Readers who are new to chapter books will love meeting Eugene and will look forward to more of his adventures.-Amanda Moss Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Eugene's superhero alter ego, Captain Awesome, helps him start second grade at a new school, deal with bullies, handle his sister (a.k.a. Queen Stinkypants), make friends, and solve mysteries. Comic-book-style illustrations are punctuated by Eugene's own less-sophisticated doodles. Eugene's imaginative inner dialogue and his impulsive actions don't quite jibe, but chapter book readers will likely enjoy the hijinks. [Review covers these Captain Awesome titles: Captain Awesome to the Rescue!, Captain Awesome and the New Kid, and Captain Awesome vs. Nacho Cheese Man.] (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
(Fiction. 5-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
